Bingo table topper

ABSTRACT

The Table Topper is a lightweight, storage, organization, and functional device that creates an ergonomic surface suitable for reading, writing, and drawing and is especially suitable for the playing of Bingo. The system consists of a one-piece slanted playing surface with optional well inserts and spacing inserts. 
     In organizing and using the system, the topper is sloped to facilitate viewing and marking the sheets/cards, is large enough to hold multiple cards, and has wells on the upper portion of the top sized to accommodate supplies, beverages and personal items during use. It is equipped with a lip that fits over the edge of a table or other flat surface and secures the device. The topper can be used as a single side, with back-to-back units, and with flat inserts to complete the covering of the table.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Various U.S. patents have issued related to the use of devices for table tops supporting Bingo cards/sheets:

-   1. May 25, 1993 Bingo Board Organizing Device patented by Linda N.     Rundell and Robert Troxclair, U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,326. -   2. Aug. 1, 2000 Bingo Table Top patented by Sherri Richter and     Coleen Feagans, U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,524.

The present invention provides a system of lightweight, durable, and affordable interlocking devices that provides an ergonomic playing surface that rests atop existing table tops or other flat surfaces and allows users to organize, view, and mark their playing cards/sheets, books, keyboards, and calculators thus facilitating rapid play/use and promoting physical health.

This present invention reduces neck, back, arm, and hand strain.

This present invention provides convenient wells on the top of the slanted surface to hold supplies and personal items during use.

This present invention is lightweight, simple to manufacture, and inexpensive.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was not developed through any federally sponsored research and development, although federal installations could benefit from its use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Gaming with Bingo is a growing industry both domestically and abroad. At one time, only Bingo parlors could be found on Native American reservations. Today almost one hundred casinos are operating in twenty-one states (Begun, Siegal, and Jacobs 29). There are five types of legal gambling in the United States: bingo, lotteries, pari-mutual betting, off track betting and casinos. Bingo is the most common form of legalized gambling; forty-seven states participate in legal Bingo (Bingo is not presently played in Hawaii, Tennessee, and Utah). In virtually every state, nonprofit Bingo is permitted.

According to the 2003 “Your Guide to: USA & CANADIAN Gambling Locations” Published by Aruba Directories Missoula Montana, there are more than 50 million bingo players worldwide. In the U.S. and Canada there are approximately 1080 bingo halls, for profit, that play at least four days a week. Most play at least six days a week, many of them seven days a week. In the U.S. there were 839 listed, while there are 241 in Canada. Many new facilities are not listed.

There are also about 6,000 locations listed that played bingo that were civic clubs, social clubs, churches, schools, etc. such as American Legion, VFW, Moose, Knights of Columbus, Elks, and Catholic Churches.

Bingo is a form of lottery descended from Lo Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia, the Italian National Lottery, which was organized in 1530. The modern version of Bingo was introduced to America in 1930 by New York toy and game manufacturer Edwin S. Lowe. Since then, the number of players has steadily increased.

Bingo is played with each person having one or more cards or sheets of numbers arranged in squares in columns and rows. Numbers are then selected and called out randomly and players “mark” the corresponding numbers on their cards or sheets until a defined design or sequence is achieved. The first player to achieve this sequence or design declares BINGO and wins whatever stakes are offered.

Because of the increasing popularity of this game, various improvements have occurred to decrease the time each game takes, to increase the comfort of the players, and improve access to the game. The games are faster-paced, players play more cards simultaneously, and there is an increase in the number of players. Accordingly, there exists a need to maximize the player's ability to keep pace and to maintain manage many cards/sheets and related supplies and personal items, and increase the comfort and convenience of the player by improving ergonomics and providing a portable playing surface/storage unit.

The increased use of tables found in Bingo halls and casinos deteriorates the tops very fast causing them to have an unkept and unclean appearance. Halls and casinos have to replace these tables every six months or so. These table toppers will enhance the appearance of tables and extend the life of the table indefinitely.

In addition, the increased use of computers and calculators, along with the need for ergonomic surfaces for use by students and individuals with neck, back, and/or hand problems, including individuals with disabilities, is addressed by these toppers which have optional wells to hold school/office supplies.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a lightweight organization and functional system of devices that creates an ergonomic surface suitable for reading, writing, and drawing and is especially suitable for the playing of Bingo. The invention consists of interlocking components that can be configured in various ways and converts flat table tops into slanted surfaces with interchangeable wells at the top for storage and inserts between the slanted surfaces.

In organizing and using the invention, the top portion of each topper is sloped to facilitate viewing and marking the sheets/cards, is large enough to hold multiple cards, and has wells on the upper portion of the top sized to accommodate supplies, beverages and personal items during use. The bottom portion is equipped with a lip that fits over the edge of a table or other flat surface and secures the device. The units can be manufactured in colors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE OR FIGURES OF THE DRAWING

The molded one-piece top consists of one rectangular piece with a sloped flat surface portion 1 or portion 3, with cylindrical wells of various diameters designed to hold pens, pencils, markers, daubers, beverages, tokens, and personal items either in original configuration 2 or per optional overlay configuration 2A as pictured in FIG. 1; two irregular rectangular side portions 18 typical as pictured in FIG. 1; a back rectangular portion 16 which can interlock to portion 3 and holds papers, and a small rectangular front portion 15 to hold paper or other items in place with an offset half of the lip 13 to secure the topper to a flat surface and a raised lip 17 to secure papers, books, or other items in place on the flat surface as pictured in FIG. 1.

The inserts consist of rectangular pieces 4 and 5 that fit against the flat surface as shown in FIG. 4.

This topper is designed to be manufactured using high impact colored plastic through injection molding. This process improves the quality of durability for high use, color for utility and appearance, lighter weight for portability and lower shipping costs, and lower production costs. The interlocking design of the toppers requires two molds to be manufactured. This topper differs from other similar devices in that it requires no assembly on the part of the user, is lightweight for ease of use, provides wells for storage of supplies during use, and provides an ergonomic surface for use in Bingo, reading, writing, and keyboarding/calculating.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a 3D view of the Table Topper with Bingo plate.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the Table Topper.

FIG. 3 is a 3D view of the Table Topper with desk top plate.

FIG. 4 is a top plane view of the inserts for the Table Topper. 

1. A table top system; said system consisting of an apparatus with a slanted surface and a lip to support books, papers, game-playing cards, sheets, or electronic devices with cavities across the top positioned to store writing devices, game-playing markers, daubers, beverages, and personal items, and being interlockable to similar devices and inserts to connect them and cover the top of the table on which it rests.
 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said slanted portion includes a lip portion for securing apparatus to table surface.
 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said slanted portion includes a lip portion for supporting game-playing cards or sheets.
 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said slanted portion has a cavity for papers.
 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said slanted portion has an optional overlay for pens, pencils, and other classroom or office supplies. 